Grapple.



M. W. GIL'MA'RTINK GRAPPLE,

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1911.

Patented Oct. 1,1912.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 1. r

3am- K $1 WITNESSE M. W. GILMARTIN GRAPPLB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1911.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W/TNESSES Ml W. GILMARTIN.

GRAPPLE.

V WITNESSES INVENTOR onrrsio in and.

I/EICI-IAEL Vi. GILMARTIN, OF LAKE DENMARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSEGNOE TO THE "SZ'AL'E Sc TOWNE MANUFACTURING COIEFANY, ST:

GEAPLL'E.

Application filed July 18, 1911.

lindrical bodies such as projectiles, pipes,

shafts, rolls of paper, barrels etc, and it consists of a yoke of substantially inverted U-shape, adapted to straddle the article to be lifted-or handled, and provided with one or more latches so located that when the yoke is dropped over the body to be lifted, the latch or latches will, engage the article below its greatest diameter, and lock the article within the yoke.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing my improved device locked to a cylindrical object. Fig. 2 is a view in section of the same showing the latches open to release the yoke from the object. Fig. 3 a view in side elevztion and Figs. d, 5, 6, 7, S, 9 and 10 are views of modifications.

1 represents the yoke, the upper portion of which is preterahly semi-cylindrical in shape with the lower free ends2 flared outwardl; so as to permit an article of a given size to readily enter the yoke, or rather permil the yoke to pass onto and embrace the z rtiele in the drawings, 1 have shown a projectile in connection with the yoke, but it is evident that the device is equally well adapted for handling and transporting cylindrinl bodies of any kind, such as pipes, shafts, rolls of paper, barrels, etc, hence reference herein to projectiles is intended to cover and include cylindrical articles of any kind or articles of other shapes that conform in size to the yoke and come within the limits necessary for the proper action of the looking latches.

The locking latches 3 are pivotally mounted in the bifurcated and outwardly flaring ends 2 of the yoke 1, on bolts or pins 1, and are cam shaped, so that when in their normal position, their inner or hear- Speeificetion of Letters Patent.

ing faces will project inwardly sniliciently Patented Get, it, 19/124,

Serial No. $39,211"

to prevent the release of an ticle embraced by the yoke. These latches shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive normally rest and fall into closed position by gravity, and are retained 'ithin the zone of gravity influence by the set screws 5, which latter are mounted in the sides of the yoke with their free ends resting within slots 8 in the latches 3. These slots and SCIQWS limit the outward or opening movement of the latches, and always maintain the preponderance 01 weight 01 the latches in planes intermediate the vertical center of the pivot bolts t so that, it lllflttlS not to what extent the latches may be moved in placing the yoke on the projectile, they will fall into locking position, the instant they pass below the greatest diameter the projectile. in order to take the whole or a portion of the weight of the projectile cit the set screws which are primarhy designed to limit the opening h end movement of the yoke in, the free ends 8 of L latches close i as in Fin". of the shoulder 7 anl crew prevented from A u beyond the effective point 0 provide 7 7 l. l latch s are always in condition to he i. to be passed onto a pro ecti e, then rail and lock the yoke to the p As show i, the yoke l is provided at its upper end with o wh ch may he formed v lntegral with the 1 Le, l. have etc by nut,

shown separate and secured m a. hi, L .1.

lnis ring 18 rel the mine meat ing hook or other mean t1 ansporting the steadymg e 33 from tilting w ided ,3 a rrrlei ,LO. to prevent it e, have pro oje cti' terially increase to sari-race of the yoke at the top. 4

After the projectile has heel transported to the objective p int, cred onto a support, thus t h n off the latches and leaving the l be moved'to unlocking or r n. posf in Figs, 1, 2 and 3, i lave shown the iatehes may he moved to open pOSlt OIQQlTKl in lv T A! o provided with finger pieces 9 by which they a hoist the spring 11 is secured-to the bolt 4 and bears against the pin 12 projecting laterally from the yoke, whereas in the construction shown in Fig. 4, the spring 11 is mounted lug 14 on the yoke, through which said-rod passes, the lower end of said rod bein pivotally secured to the latch. With this latter construction, by simply pressing down on the head 13 the latch Wlll be turned to its open position.

In the construct-ion shown in Fig. 6, instead of bifurcati'ng the ends as in the previously described constructions, I provide the yoke with brackets 15, the ends 0 which restwithin slots in the latches, the latter being secured to the brackets bybolts or pins.

Thispermits me tonse much longer latches which are desirable when handling soft ma terial, such as paper rolls.

If it be decided' to use one latch only, the other can be locked in any position, against movement, by the set screw 16, one for each latch. These set screws are mounted in the yoke, and are adapted to be'forced against the side face of the latches and lock the latter against movement. V

In the construction shown in Fig. 7 I' show locking latches 3 which tend to fall by gravity into locking position, but which are yieldingly held in unlocking position by the tlatsprin s 11 which are riveted at one end to the yo e, and bear against the latches 40 in a position to hold same up, .or in their unlocking positions. In operation, therefore, when the yoke is dropped over an article, the locking latches must be pushed into their locking positions or against the article within the yoke, and then as the yoke is lifted and the Weight falls onto the latches, and the latter are held in their locking position by the load. When the yoke is lowered and the weight taken from the latches, the springs then automatically throw the latches to unlocked position, thus leaving the yoke free to be withdrawn.-

Fig. 8 shows the locking latches 3 weight ed at their outer ends, so that they normally are in their unlocking position, hence like the construction last above described, must be turned into locking position, and auto.

matically release the article by the removal of the weight from the latches.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 9, the latches are provided each with a movable gravity device, consisting in the present instance of an army 17 pivoted at 17* to the lath, and provided at its opposite end with i 35 the weight 17. Each latch is provided with on the rod 13 between the head'13 and the be adjusted to accommodate and hold cylinlatches may be conveniently actuated 'siinsane the, pins or stops 18 one on each side of the axis or pivot of the latter, so that the grav ity device may be turned so as to add its weight to either end of the 1atch,hence when turned so as to bear on the in adjacent the inner end of the latch, the atter willoperate to automatically lock, and when turned to bear on the pin adjacent the outer end of the latch the latch will operate to automatically unlock. Y

In Fig. 10, I have shown the yoke rovided with adjustable screws 18 with ock nuts 19 for holding the screws against move ment. These screws or posts are designed to ders smaller than the yoke, and while I prefer two, one so located that it and the cooperating latch engage the cylinder below the greatest diameter of the latch, and the other in aplane above so as to properly space the yoke with relation to the cylinder, I may use only the lower one. It is also evi dent that instead of using screws as shown, precisely the same results may be accomplished by filling blocks or adjustable devices of various kinds.

Instead of, or in addition to, the finger pieces 9, I may provide the gravitylatches with the opening wires 20, 20, whereby both multaneously. Each wire 20 is passed through a hole 21 in the lower end of a latch and is secured therein, and each latch is grooved as at 22 above the hole 21 as to permit of the necessary inward movement of the latches. The wires pass up over the yoke andpreferably through guides 23secured to the yoke, and are secured to a hail-- dle 24, preferably in the form of a ring. embracing the hoist ring of the yoke, and 1f desired, the handle 24 may be attached to a cord or wire 25 leading up through a pulley on the hoist block. By this arrangement, when the yoke with a projectile therein is lowered into a support, the operator can with one hand, by pulling up on handle 24 throw the latches to unlocking or releasing position and lift the yoke oil the projectile. With these devices it will be seen that after the latches pass below the greatest diameter of the projectile and fall or are moved into contact with the rojectile, the will positively lock the yo e to the pro ectile. Theyoke with its load may now be raised and transported by crane, traveling block or other means to the objective point, and after it has been lowered onto a support, soas to remove the weight from the latches, the latter canv be readily opened ,by hand or automatically as previously explained thus leaving the yoke free to be removed.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the relative arrangement of paris shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my 139 comprising an invertedU-shaped structure of a size and shape to conform to the body to be lifted, a gravity lateh mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke so asto foiin rest and support for said body below its greate t tiliameter. and rigid stop on the arm carrying the latch for limiting the downward movement ot' the latch.

.3. lit a grapple, the combination of a yoke comprising an enlarged rigid strut-titre adapted to straddle the object to be lit'ted and t-onforming in shape to the part. at said objeet embraced by the yoke. a lateh monnted in the lower end of an arm oi said yoke and adapted to engage the objeet below the greatest diameter ot the latter. the said latch tree to giro or yield to permit the yoke to straddle the objeet. and a rigid stop on the 1 arm earrying the lateh tor limiting the downward m v ment ot the lateh.

ttilllltllfil'lfl a rigid strnrtnre adapted to om brave the major part ot a \'ll1ltlllt'zll obyeet the l wer ends in said yoke being turned ol said yoke latter and torn: a seat tor the same and a rigid v top on the arm earrying the lateh tor limitin the downward morement ol the t-onip an int gral ;.-tratld o the t l) lt' .'t to be titted and t'oii't'orno lower end oi' oa -h depending member of the yoke the said l.llt'lit'. adapted to open npwardly and when l t\\tl't\'l engage the ob t-et l'or limiting the tlo \'ti.\:tl'tl movement ol' the hilt-hes .'herrby they are npported in .\ltions to sustain the load resting thereon.

. grapple, the combination of a yoke For lit'ting oylindrit'al objeets. tho 1 ing ot a shape and size to embrat'e and outwardly so as to treoly permit til the pas- .ago ol the y ke onto the object. a gravity i lateh mounted in tho lower end of an arm and adapted to engage the In a grapple. the combination of a yoke comprising an integral semi-eylindri 'al yoke adapted to straddle the object to be lifitod and conforming in shape to the part 01 said object embraced by the yoke, the lower ends o'l' said yoke being turned outwardly so to freely permit of engagement of the yoke tllltl'UbjQCl' to be litted. a lateh carried by the lower end of eat-h depending member of the yoke. the said latehes adapted to open HDWtllt'll' and when lowered form seats onwhieh the objects rest; and rigid stops lor limiting the downward movements of the latches whereby they are supported in position to sustain the load resting thereon.

(9. In a grapple. the combination of a yoke eoinprising an inverted U -shaped rigid strut-tare adapted to straddle a cylindrical objeet. the two depending members of said yoke proj'a-ting below the greatest diameter f said objeet whereby the widest portion of said objeet' maybe einbrat'ed by said yoke,

s a lateh pivoted to each tlepending arm and adapted to project inwardly so as to engage the objeet below its greatest diameter and means 't'or looking one of said latches in an inoperative position. ll. ln :1 fl uppl the eoinbination ol" a yoke t T. ln a grapple. the eombination of a yoke t'tillllil'b llif an inverted U-shaped strneti loo said yoke --enii-eylindrit-al in .--hapo and adapted to la fi l i tllt i nation ot a yoke i trn -tnre adapted to I .draddl a orlindi'ieal objwt. a lateh mount.- od in the lower free end vol' one member of I said yoke and adapted to l'orm a seat below ing in shape to the part ol' aid obieot einbraved by the yoke. a latoh adyaeont' the' the gr atest dianieier ol' said object on which the oltittt restsfand a tlexi lo doriee attaehed to :lltl latoh t r retrat'ting the same.

In testimony whereot'. l have signed this spot-itieation in the [)l't'r-llltt ol' two snbseribbelow its greatest diameter and torin seatsi on whit-h said objeet rest and rigid stops mg n itnesses.

Mltllll lli \l'. (illAlAlt'llN. it Horses:

Final) t. Hoi'iincs. li. T. llootziuxs 

